Fire closes USDA headquarters

The U.S. Agriculture Department headquarters complex in Southwest Washington was closed Monday due to a small fire during routine maintenance, according to news reports.

Firefighters put out the blaze quickly, but Pepco cut power to the facility and about 6,300 employees in the Cotton Annex, the South Building and the James L. Whitten Building were placed on administrative leave for the day, according to reports in The Washington Post and the Federal Times.